Great Blue Heron

great blue heron standing in nest - photo by Adrienne Zwart
A week ago, I had to drive to the dentist’s office unexpectedly after cracking my dental bridge on an almond.  On my way there, I happened to see some blue herons flying around a pond.  I spotted the nests a few moments later and was very excited to learn there was a rookery so close to home.  (There are a couple of others north of us, but I never seem to get up that way during the nesting season.) 
I told myself that I would come back down that street soon and find a place to turn off and observe.  This Thursday, that goofy bridge cracked again, and so I called the dentist to schedule an emergency appointment.  They could see me right away, so I grabbed my purse and the camera bag and headed that direction.  Making a point to notice that there was a turn-off still existing from an old road that been closed during the airport expansion, I hurried to the dentist so I could get on with more important things.
What a beautiful way to spend the afternoon.  (I don’t mean going to the dentist, obviously, though he is very nice.) I found a great spot to park the mini-van, and got out to walk around. I observed and photographed and listened and savored the spring air.  For a few moments, I also longed for a fancy zoom lens.  But then I’d need to lug around a tripod, and that just seems so cumbersome to me.  So I tramped happily through the dried weeds to get as close as I could without disturbing the birds, and snapped away.
I’ll need to go back that way again soon.  I had the dentist take that pesky bridge out while I was there, so I’ll need to get a new one now.  That means at least two more trips past the herons’ rookery!
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Comments

heidiannie said…
You must have gotten pretty close to take this shot without a zoom lens! Great picture- I'm glad you took advantage of a Spring afternoon!
Well---that would be ONE time I would enjoy going to the dentist. ha ha... I'm so glad you found the Heron/nest... How special.

By the way, I have a 75-300 lens --and do NOT use a tripod.

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy
Snap said…
Guess if you have to go to the dentist, dropping by the rookery makes it all worth it! I do love great blue herons!
EJ said…
That's a gorgeous capture.

Take a peek at the critter on my page.
Misty DawnS said…
How awesome to have that so close! And, an awesome shot too! You got a pretty awesome image without a zoom lens, in my opinion.

All of my shots are done in-hand. I don't even own a tripod.
Adrienne: Neat photo of the Great Blue Heron. What a wonderful bird. You still have to get to CVNP to see the trees full of them. Great minds working in conjunction today.
Shelley said…
So neat to see the Heron's big nest! You must've been excited to see him! Sorry to hear about your bridge! I just cracked my crown a couple days ago - ugh!!!
Carolyn Ford said…
At least something very good came from your drive to the dentist...the dreaded dentist! These are fabulous shots of the nesting Blue Herons!
Deejbrown said…
Wow! What camera do you use to get such a great photo without a zoom? Prime lens? Sheesh...I could ask a zillion questions right about now!
Hope the Heronry will be a success story!
Coy Hill said…
This is one great reason to go to the dentist! How lucky you are to have a GBH rookery nearby.
Adrienne Zwart said…
Deej - this is my hubby's DSLR that I adopted since he can no longer see. (He says it was always "ours," but I never got to use it then. LOL) The lens is our Canon IS 55-250 mm with a UV haze filter.
How lucky to see something so beautiful!
Michele said…
Gee, sorry about the unexpected to the dentist but gosh... how neat to get that shot!!!
eileeninmd said…
A great sighting, the rookeries are neat to see. Great shot!
Kelly said…
Cool!!! I'm glad you've found a heronry so close to your home. It's about time i started visiting ours again. It's fun to watch them come to life with more and more herons moving in.
Willard said…
A neat camera critters photo. I have heard a lot of good things about the lens you used for that photo and you did a good job with it.

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